Director of Legal Analysis & Writing and

Assistant Professor of Law

Gstephenson@sulc.edu 

(225) 771-4900 ext. 216

Courses taught: legal analysis & writing I, legal analysis & writing II, law review workshop

Professor Stephenson joined the SULC faculty in March 2004 as the Director of Legal Analysis & Writing. Before becoming a full-time faculty member, she taught as an adjunct, teaching legal writing lab at SULC for three semesters and appellate advocacy at Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center from 1997 through 2002. She was named adviser to the Southern University Law Review in May 2005.

Professor Stephenson received her juris doctorate from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1984, where she was a member of the Louisiana Law Review and Order of the Coif. She was inducted into the Paul M. Hebert Hall of Fame in 1987. She received her B.A. with honors from Northwestern State University of Louisiana in 1976, where she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, Purple Jackets, and the Political Science Honor Society.

After receiving her law degree, Professor Stephenson served as a law clerk to Judge Frank J. Polozola of the United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 1984-1986. She worked as a law clerk and research attorney for Judge Melvin Shortess of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal from 1986 to 1988 and 1991 to 2000. She then was promoted to the court’s Administrative General Counsel, where she served until joining SULC. She also practiced corporate and insurance defense and was director of litigation with the firm now known as Henchy, Verbois & Hackenberg from 1988 to 1991.

Professor Stephenson is active with the Baton Rouge Bar Association. She was elected to the board of directors in 2004, and after five terms on the board was elected secretary in 2009.  She is currently treasurer.  In 2002 she received the President’s Award for her work with the Publications and Holiday Star Committees. She is assistant editor of the BRBA’s monthly magazine, Around the Bar, and authors a regularly featured column, Gail’s Grammar. She has been a member of the editorial board for the Louisiana Bar Journal since 1999.

She served as editor for the Notary Commission Policies and Procedures Manual for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, published in 2004, and is now a consultant with Louisiana State University for the statewide notary exam.

Professor Stephenson is chair of the Bar Outreach Committee, a joint committee of the Legal Writing Institute and the Association of Legal Writing Directors.  She has served as an LWI poster mentor and was a member of the 2008 Welcoming Committee.  She also is a member of Scribes.